Compiled 3rd Grade Sijo Poetry from the Past Four Years

Children’s Sijo
Compiled 3rd Grade Sijo Poetry from the Past Four Years
June, 2014
3740 Baychester Ave – Annex
Bronx, New York 10466
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Copyright © by Bronx Charter School for Better Learning
Cover art by Keonna, 3rd Grade
Introduction
Every year, the 3rd Graders at Bronx Better Learning, during their weekly Korean
class, study a Korean classical poetry form called sijo (pronounced “she – jo”). We define
sijo as a three-line poem that is often sung with a backup of traditional music instruments.
Each line has a unique role:
-
Line 1: introduces a situation
Line 2: develops the situation
Line 3: adds a twist, punch or conclusion
First the BBL students read translations of classical Korean sijo, written by King
Hyojong, Hwang Jin-i, U Tak, Kim Su-Jang and other famous poets. Many of these sijo talk
about nature or philosophical issues such as growing old.
Then the children write their own poems, often echoing the same themes.
Traditionally, sijo had a set number of syllables and phrases per line. However, as modern
sijo have eased the syllable count, especially in the West, we give the students the freedom
to write lines of varying length, as long as they adhere to the three-line rule above.
Please enjoy the examples that appear on the following pages.
Bruce Ballard and Soojin Choi Kim
Korean Language Program
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning
Contact: [email protected]
Art by Jessica, 3rd Grade
The Freezer
On a hot summer’s day, I go to the freezer to cool off.
In the freezer, I stay cool eating Cookies and Cream.
Colder than a polar bear’s toes, I should do this every summer.
- Elizabeth
Death
Death, graveyards, skin and bones, no movement. Funerals, people, cries and sadness.
Death. Go to Heaven, go to Hell. It doesn’t matter. It’s still death.
Death. You meet your fate, and you see where you go. Death.
- Tyler
Food
Mom, may I get food. What kind of food do you want?
I want ice cream, donuts, pizza, burgers, ice pops, ice and candy.
Open the refrigerator, they’re singing a beautiful song called Joy.
- Shemya
The Big Test
I was sweaty. I was nervous, but that stopped and it felt good.
I took a deep breath. Huh! I took the test. I was confident.
Good. I did well. I hope I passed – I really do. Hope you passed, too.
- Elijah
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning – Sijo – page 1 – June 2014
On My Birthday
On my birthday when I listen to music I sing with my family, friends.
When I eat the cake and it tastes like fireworks my puppy says oyayayayaya,
And my friends, family laugh.
- Jared
So Old
A singing baby, then a teenager. My adult stage. Also my young-hearted family.
Now grown old, so old. 85 years old. I’m still strong and singing. Just have grown
So old. Now I rest in peace. Next the stages happen again. Singing.
- Jadine
Summer
The sun on my face like a flashlight and the water so cool
I want some ice cream so sweet it makes me sing a summer song
Ah, someone squirts water at me and I smile
- Najah
Winter I Wonder
Winter is cold. I wonder how cold winter is.
Snow lies on the ground like a white blanket. I wonder if it can cover me.
They say winter is fun. I wonder, how fun?
- Mackenzie
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning – Sijo – page 2 – June 2014
How Time Goes Fast
On a weekend day, kids play around everywhere.
But parents never stop working, even when they are tired.
When the parents pass away, the children’s playtime is over.
- Dubem
Summer
Summer is a nice season ice cream yes waterparks yes smiles again ya ya.
O there is love. There is my birthday, what am I going to get, nothing?
O there is a good summer going on, swimming in water cool as ice cream.
- Kezia
I Wish I Was the Government
I wish I was the government. Oh, I wish I was the government.
Why can’t I be the government? Because I’m a child. A child!
I wish I was the government, so no one could tell me what to do!
- Rochelle
Waterpark
on a hot summer day I go to the waterpark I sing along the ride we
go down the slide and swoosh! down the slide going fast as a train down in the
water it’s so fun let’s go again
- Kaydean
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning – Sijo – page 3 – June 2014
Art by Jaire, 3rd Grade
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning – Sijo – page 4 – June 2014
Why I Love Winter
Winter is the time we snuggle and cuddle, play and enjoy so much more.
Winter is the time to sit by the fire and listen to the flames go kaboom like Pop Rocks.
That’s why I love winter, but summer comes first in my heart.
- Jada
Pool Time
Summer, thank you, summer. I go to the pool and when I swim I sing like Michael Jackson.
Ice cream in the pool, on my face, like I don’t care.
When it melts on my face it feels soft, like a dog licking me.
- Taylor
Winter Wonders
I wonder in the winter why the wind sounds like someone whistling.
I don’t know if the wind and snow will stop.
It did! And I am happy because it hurts my ears.
- Michael
Happy Songs
Happy songs make me happy as a peach.
Happy songs are like smiles.
Happy songs are my happy thoughts when I am sad.
- SeQueen
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning – Sijo – page 5 – June 2014
Ice Cream
My ice cream has different flavors. And different songs, too.
Chocolate is gospel, vanilla is jazz. But what is the best?
Yes, strawberry, with all the different twists.
- Nia
Robots
Robots sound like a printer about to break down.
They do everything you say, like a servant. They talk like crunching paper.
But if robots could sing, they would sing like a real person!
- Daniel
Summer
In summer I go to the pool with my friends, eat ice cream, and get brain freeze.
The ice cream drips like a sloppy joe and smells like the swimming pool.
But it also sings to us like a lady.
- Jared
Fall’s Leaves
Leaves fall in the fall like rain in the sky above the ground.
People rake the leaves into big piles, then jump on them.
The leaves live a very sad life once fall dries them up.
- Amelia
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning – Sijo – page 6 – June 2014
Happy Singing Summer
Summer summer singing softly, like a gentle pillow. Summer summer my birthday month.
How can I thank the hot breeze? Summer.
Flowers sing along with the breeze, gleam and glow like fireflies.
- Jadine
Cave Colors
I wonder what color a cave is. Is it brown? Black or white?
Blue like a blanket? Gray as a midnight sky with a bright moon behind a cloud?
Oh, I know – I’ll just bring a flashlight to see. Silly me!
- Chibugo
Growing Up
I wish I could grow up.
If I could grow up I would not have bed time, and
I could see the shining stars.
- Michelle
Winter Snow
Why is winter so white and cold as ice?
I see kids playing and playing in the white snow.
But when the snow leaves, the kids stay inside.
- Zavier
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning – Sijo – page 7 – June 2014
Art by Alexis, 3rd Grade
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning – Sijo – page 8 – June 2014
My Mom’s Gift
My mom nourished me.
She gave me life to survive.
If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be born at all.
- Laila
Spring Sijo
In the spring I was born.
I developed through the years.
Now I am a vast boy in 3rd Grade.
- Tremaine
Summer Sijo
In the summer grass grows.
The grass gets cut.
Then the grass grows back.
- Jazmyne
Summer Sijo
In summer, everything’s beautiful.
But it doesn’t last long.
Wait until next year; your life won’t change.
- DaAsia
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning – Sijo – page 9 – June 2014
In spring, flowers bloom.
Spring, surprise me.
May flowers scatter; spring has ended.
- Djeneba
Nature
In spring, leaves sit on tree branches.
In fall, the leaves change color.
In winter, the poor leaves lose their home.
- Tyseir
Bears
Bears hibernate in the winter
Eat in the spring
And die in a couple of years
- Jhamir
Winter
The snow falls.
It looks like a white blanket.
The snow melts.
- Chibugo
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning – Sijo – page 10 – June 2014
Summer
On a hot day, I stay at the pool to keep away from the sun’s heat, which can burn me a tan
in seconds.
I go down to take…BAM! Before I finish my sentence, a seagull snaps up a woman’s
shoe.
Then my mom and dad start singing in joy.
- Akachi
Art by Samantha, 3rd Grade
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning – Sijo – page 11 – June 2014